PUBLICATION OF "FINANCIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST – OBJECTIVITY IN RESEARCH:
INSTITUTIONAL POLICY REVIEW"
RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2003
NOTICE: NOT-OD-03-026
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the
publication of "Financial Conflict of Interest: Objectivity in Research
- NIH Review of Institutional Conflict of Interest Policies"
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/nih_review.htm). The document
is available on the Conflict of Interest website
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/index.htm), which is linked to
the Office of Extramural Research (OER) homepage
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/OER.htm) under Grants Topics/Grants
Policy and Guidance (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm).
During 2002, the National Institutes of Health requested 300
institutions to provide a copy of their policy on financial conflict of
interest as described in Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Part 50, Subpart F, "Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting
Objectivity in Research for Which PHS Funding is Sought." (For NIH
contractors, the corollary regulation is Title 45 CFR Part 94,
Responsible Prospective Contractors.) The purpose of the review was to
allow the NIH the opportunity to: (1) develop a broad view of how
these policies are implemented by an array of institutions; and (2)
provide a reasonable assessment of compliance with the provisions of
the PHS regulation. The information in this document is based on the
review of a representative sample of over 100 policies from a mix of
institutions consisting of public and private academic institutions,
public and private research institutions, hospitals, and large and
small for-profit organizations.
The document is organized in three sections: (1) Findings; (2) Helpful
Suggestions and Areas of Concern; and (3) Other Issues to Consider.
The first section provides specific information related to the review
of the policies. The second section provides helpful suggestions for
consideration when developing a financial conflict of interest policy
and areas of concern that were noted during the review. The third
section provides additional issues for consideration when revising or
enhancing current financial conflict of interest policies with the
intent of improving compliance with Federal regulations.
NIH is making this document available to the broader biomedical
research community as an educational tool to promote awareness of and
compliance with Federal financial conflict of interest regulations.
For additional resources related to financial conflict of interest,
please visit the following links:
OER Conflict of Interest page:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi
NIH Grants Policy Statement (3/01), Financial Conflict of Interest:
http://grants.nih.gov/archive/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/part_iia_1.htm#
_Toc504811782
Proactive Compliance Site Visits FY 2000-FY 2002: A Compendium of
Findings and Observations:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/compliance/compendium_2002.htm
INQUIRIES
Questions about financial conflict of interest may be directed to the
Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight staff at (301) 435-0949.